Improvement in type-setting machines



BALDWIN Type-Setting Machines.

No.136,018.' v PatentedFeb .18,1873.-

' AM PHom-mmsmgmcco.mflasaonuskmawsg I WILLIAM H. BALDWIN, or NEW ree N. Y;

IMPROVEMENT lN TVPE-SETTING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 136,018, dated February 18, 1873.

To all whom it may concern;

Be itknown that I, WILLIAM H. BALDWIN,

of the city, county, and State of New York,

have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Typesetting Machines, whereby the type may be discharged from stacks containing the same into chutes or other devices for conveying them to the composing-stick, or equivalent, in any organized machine, by means of electromagnetism controlled by the operator at a fin ger-board.

My invention consists in the novel combination of type-stacks, to be arranged with relation to a receivin g device common to all of the stacks, with electromagnetic levers and a keyboard; and I do hereby declare that the following specification, taken in connection with the drawing, is a full and clear description of my invention and of that portion of a type-setting machine which would embody the same.

Referring to the drawing, Figure l represents in perspective the platform of a typesetting machine with all but two of the typestacks removed. Fig. 2 representsin vertical section one of the typcstacks and the discharging mechanism.

A denotes in each instance a type-stack. It is a vertical sided rectangular chamber, of

such dimensions as to allow of the reception of type horizontally. Into these chambers the type are placed by hand from the cases, with their face ends corresponding. Beneath the stack is a sliding plate, B, on which the type are supported alternately as they arrive at the bottom, and by which they are discharged singlythrough an aperture, a, on the inner side of the stack at the base. 0 denotes in each instance a vertical-vibrating lever pivoted at its upper end to a hanger, and connected at its lower end to the sliding plate B. D in eachinstance denotes an electro-magnet, which is located at proper distance below the pivoted upper end of the lever 0. These magnets are horizontal, and supported at one end by. thevertical standards from which the leverhangers also project. E denotes in each instance an armature, which is attached to the lever O, at right angles thereto, at such a point thereon as will admit of their being in contact with the magnetwhen charged. The several magnets are connected with batteries in the usual manner. The circuit is broken at a keyboard, F, between which and each magnet is a conducting-wire, G, connecting each key with its respective magnet, and its stack of type corresponding with the letter on the key.

The operation of my apparatus may be explained as follows: It will be assumed that one of the many well-known organizations of mechanism for placing type in position, after proper delivery, is applied at a point with relation to the type-stacks, that it may receive the type when delivered therefrom; also, that the several type-stacks are properly supplied with type, to be kept further supplied from time to time by a child or other person, ranking in the class of unskilled labor. The key-board will represent the full alphabet and all the auxiliary characters. Several key-- boards will, in practice, be employed, and banked one above the other. Each keyboard will be connected with a set of stacks containing type of a uniform character, so that, for instance, one bank will deliver capitals, another small caps, and so on. Each stack will of course have its lever, magnet, and system of electric connections, and each will have a delivery-channel leading to a main channel common to them all,to which the type will be successively conducted regardless of their particular source. The spaces, punctuation-marks, &c., will also be stacked like the type, and rendered controllable in the same manner.

The operator, having the key board in full view, with each key bearing on its face the letter and the style of type it represents, is enabled to depress the required key and de liver the type by the consequent action of the levers 0, resulting from the respective charging of their magnets by the electric current. The operator, with his copy before him, will of course be obliged to exercise his judgment as to spacing, and the space-blocks, being of a uniform dimension, will admit of the delivcry of as many of them successively at one time as may be required.

The nature of the service to be performed.

renders it desirable that the type-stacks be: arranged to occupy as little space as possible, and, be so arranged with relation to each other that the distances from each stack to the object-ive point at which the general or main channel begins should be as near equal as pos sible; and for this reason the circular arrangement of stacks is believed to be preferable to any other.

Should gravity be solely depended upon for giving the type their continued movement after being discharged from the stack it will be especially desirable that they should all have about the same distance to travel before arriving at the main channel, which all must By having the type supported on the slidiu g plate B, after each delivery has been effected, it ispractically impossible for the type to become blocked in their stacks, for the withdrawal of the plate gives more or less movement to the pile, and insures their proper fall on the discharge of the lowest one, last resting on the plate.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination, with the series of typestacks, of the circuit-breakingkeys, electromagnets, armature-levers, ejector-plates, and connecting-wires, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

WM. u. BALDWIN.

lVit-n esses:

F. B. KRUG, THos. I. OKIE, Jr. 

